Carton opening machine



1, 1956 L. H. TOBEY 2,759,401

CARTON OPENING MACHINE Filed April 6, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.LEON H. 7081:?

HIS ATTORNEY Aug. 21, 1956 H, TOB Y 2,759,401

CARTON OPENING MACHINE Filed April 6, 1954 1 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.LEON H. 7055) Aug. 21, 1956 H. TOBEY 2,759,401

CARTQN OPENING MACHINE Filed April 6, 1954 v 5 Sheets-Sheet s 135 x IN VEN TOR.

10/ /4 Q LEONH. roasr HIS ATTORNEY Aug. 21, 156 L. H. TOBEY CARTONOPENING MACHINE Filed April 6. 1954 5 SheetsSheet 4 7 jay INVENTOR.

LEON H. 7055) HIS ATTORNEY ug. 21. 1956 L. H. TOBEY 2,759,401

CARTON OPENING MACHINE Filed April 6. 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN VEN TOR.LEON H. T 08E Y IIIS ATTORNEY United States Patent CARTON OPENINGMACHINE Leon H. Tobey, Newark, N. Y., assignor to Bloomer lxi roiCompany, Newark, N. Y., a corporation of New This invention relates tomachines for opening cartons, and more specifically for opening cartonsof the type having automatic bottoms and a plurality of top lockingflaps, such as that shown in the patent to William H. Inman and RaynorM. Holmes, No. 2,655,304, issued October 13, 1953.

Cartons of this type comprise hingedly connected side walls foldablyconnected to end closure flaps. These cartons are supplied in a flat,folded condition. These folded cartons are set up or erected by applyingpressure to opposite hinged joints between pairs of side walls, causingsame to distend and open, along with their foldably connected bottomflaps. This opening operation is more fully explained and illustrated inthe above mentioned patent, and forms no part of this invention.

It has been found, however, that when cartons of the above descriptionare stored for any extended period of time in collapsed condition, theyare liable to warp out of plane shape, due to atmospheric moisture andthe inherent nature of the paper stock from which they are manufactured.It has been found that when opening pressure is applied to diametricallyopposite side edges, as described above, such warped cartons tend attimes to buckle in the direction of warpage, rather than to open in themanner for which they were designed. This tendency has caused jammingand stoppage of the machines heretofore in use for erecting this type ofcarton.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to guard against thisbuckling tendency of warped cartons, and to provide means for reliablyand smoothly erecting the same. It has been found that the tendency tobuckle may be eifectively overcome by partially distending the cartonand starting the erecting movements thereof prior to the application offinal erecting pressure on the edges thereof, as described above. Forthis reason, another object of the invention is to provide means forinitially partially distending said carton as described, in order tofacilitate and insure smooth and rapid erection thereof.

A further object of this invention is to provide a more reliable machineof the above character which may be easily and economicallymanufactured.

To these and other ends the invention resides in certain improvementsand combinations of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fullydescribed, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the endof the specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side perspective view of a carton erecting machine embodyingthis invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the machine of Fig. l with the coversremoved to show the mechanism thereof;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged partial side elevation of the lower parts of themachine showing the driving mechanism in detail;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation showing the cartonerecting parts in detail with a folded carton in position prior toerection;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to that of Fig. 4 with the carton in theprocess of erection;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 showing the carton completely erectedand ready for movement along the delivery chute;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary front perspective view of the machineshowing the carton opening parts and a carton partially removed from thehopper;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 but showing the carton fully erectedand ready for movement along the delivery chute, and

Fig. 9 is a view similar to that of Fig. 8, but showing a carton movedpartially along the delivery chute and engaging the closure flap foldingmechanism.

A machine embodying this invention and shown by way of illustrationpreferably comprises a frame portion shown generally at 10 in Fig. 1,which supports the working parts thereof, a carton chute assembly 11mounted on the side thereof, and a feed hopper 12 mounted on top.

Frame portion 10 comprises four vertically extending leg members 14(Figs. 2 and 3), connected by upper and lower horizontal angle members15 and 16 respectively, and supporting a horizontal top plate 18. Cartonchute assembly 11 is mounted at an angle of about 30 to the horizontalon one side of frame 10 by means of brackets 20, as shown in Fig. 3.

Feed hopper 12 which is mounted on the top surface of plate 18, isadapted to hold a quantity of collapsed cartons. Hopper 12 is ofgenerally rectangular cross section; however, since the cartons arethicker at one end they tend to form a curved stack, as shown by thedotted lines in Fig. 2, and one wall of the hopper is flared outwardlyto accommodate this curvature.

A carton feeding and erecting mechanism is mounted at the lower end ofhopper 12, and is adapted to feed collapsed cartons from the bottom ofthe stack contained therein, as will be hereinafter more fullyexplained. This erecting mechanism comprises a slide member 22 (Figs. 3and 8) moving longitudinally on upper plate 18 parallel to upper members15, and sliding under hopper 12. The driving mechanism actuating slide22 shown in Fig. 3, comprises an electrical motor 24 connected throughshaft 25 and clutch 26 to a pulley 27. A belt 28 running over thispulley passes over idler wheel 30 and drives a second pulley 31. Idlerwheel 30 is mounted on movable frame 33 which is pivotally attached to alug 34 projecting downwardly from upper plate 18. Means comprising acrank 35 and screw 36 are provided for pivotally adjusting frame 33 formaintaining the proper tension on belt 28. Pulley 31 in turn drives ahorizontal shaft 38 which drives a vertical shaft 40 through beveledgears 41. Vertical shaft 40 in turn drives a third horizontal shaft 42through a second set of beveled gears 43 and 44, as shown in Fig. 2. Awheel 46 bearing an eccentric pin 47 is mounted on horizontal shaft 42.Eccentric pin 47 engages a connecting link 48 (Fig. 3), which ispivotally connected to a lever arm 49 mounted on pivot 50 carried by lug52 which forms an upwardly extending projection of a lower cross rail 54as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The upper end of lever 49 is pivotallyconnected to a second link member 56 which in turn is pivotallyconnected to a depending projection 57 on slide member 22. Thus, motor24 drives wheel 46 through the above described clutch, pulley, gear andshaft means, which causes lever member 49 to oscillate about pivot 50thereby causing slide member 22 to reciprocate back and forth underhopper 12.

As slide member 22 moves rearwardly, towards the left, as viewed in Fig.3, the weight of the stack of cartons in hopper 12 presses the lowermostone thereof down closely in contact with the bottom of the hopper. Asthe slide member 22 moves forwardly, towards the right as seen in Fig.3, the leading edge thereof engages the edge of the lowermost carton 60and slides it forwardly in the direction shown by the arrow in Fig. 4. Astop member 61 (Fig. 9), comprising a spring loaded vertically movablestrip is fastened to the side of hopper 12 adjacent the lower edgethereof to prevent the feeding of more than one carton at a time.

As the carton 60 slides forward, toward the right as viewed in Fig. 4,it comes into engagement with two spring loaded knife members 62 and 63.Knife member 62 is mounted in the path of the advancing carton onoutwardly projecting arm 65, which extends in a direction roughlyparallel to the direction of travel of carton 60. Arm 65 is pivotallymounted by a bolt 66 on a bracket 67 (Fig. 9) which is rigidly fastenedto hopper 12. A wire spring 69 fastened to a small stud 70 mounted onbracket 66 resiliently urges arm 65 to rotate inwardly towards carton60, but the extent of this rotation is limited by engagement with anadjustable stop comprising a bolt 72, threadedly mounted in an upwardlyextending lug '73 of bracket 67.

Knife member 63 which is mounted on arm 75, is loaded by a second spring74 (Fig. 4) and pivotally mounted on a bracket 76, in a manner identicalto that described in connection with knife member 62. Bracket 76 ismounted on a plate 77 pivotally mounted on leg 14 by means of a bolt 78,as shown in Fig. 4, for purposes that will hereinafter be described.

As carton 60 moves in the direction shown by the straight arrow in Fig.4 it comes into engagement with knives 62 and 63, as explained above.The leading edge thereof cams the latter outwardly, causing them torotate about their pivots against the urging of springs 69 and 74, inthe direction shown by the curved arrow in Fig. 7. As soon as theleading edge of the carton passes said knives, the inward urging of theabove mentioned springs causes the knives to slip into place between thefolds comprising the bottoms of the carton, as shown in Fig. 4.

As the carton continues its forward movement under the urging of slide22, plate 77 (Figs. 4 and is pivoted downwardly, moving knife 63 in adownward are as shown in Fig. 5. This downward motion of knife 63 forcesthe lower wall of the carton downwardly, while knife member 62 remainsstationary, holding the opposite carton wall in substantially horizontalposition. This has the effect of partially distending the bottom of saidcarton as will be clearly seen by inspection of Fig. 5.

The mechanism for rotating knife member 63 comprises a verticallyextending link member 85 (Figs. 2 and 5) pivotally connected to alateral extension 86 forming part of plate 77 and to one end of ahorizontal lever 87 (Fig. 2). The central part of lever 87 is pivotallyfastened to a lug 88 mounted on frame 10. The other end of lever member87 carries a rotatable cam follower 89 which rides on a cam 90 mountedon the outwardly extending end of shaft 38, as best shown in Fig. 3 anddescribed above. As shaft 38 rotates, the raised lobe 91 on cam 90raises follower 89 pivoting the end of lever 87 upwardly, therebycausing link 85 to rotate knife 63 downwardly about bolt 78 to theposition shown in Fig. 5 and described above.

The above distending movement of knife members 62 and 63 takes placewithout interrupting the forward motion of carton 60 under the urging ofthe slide 22. When the leading edge of carton 60 reaches the outer wall80 of carton chute 11, it slides downwardly therealong until it reachesthe lower corner of said chute, as shown in Fig. 5, where it jams.Further movement of slide 22 will compress the carton causing it to openprogressively and to take the position shown in Fig. 6. Since theopening of the carton has been started in the proper direction by thedistending movement of knife members 62 and 63 as described above, thereis no opportunity for even a badly warped carton to buckle eitherupwardly or downwardly, as heretofore occurred in carton openingmachines not embodying this. feature.

As carton 60 moves forward, knives 6-2 and 63 slide along the endthereof. They are cammed outwardly against the urging of springs 69 bythe back edge of the carton and slip out of engagement therewith.

Additional support for the carton during the erecting movement isprovided by the upper edge of the inner wall 94 of the carton chute, andthe outwardly projecting portions of bracket 95 and roller 96 (Figs. 5and 9) which are attached to the wall of hopper 12 adjacent to the loweredge thereof. These parts guide the walls of the carton, and preventundue bowing thereof by the force exerted by slide 22.

It has been found desirable to move slide 22 somewhat further than wouldbe required to completely set up a carton, thereby forcing said cartonsomewhat beyond its fully open position as shown by the dotted lines inFig. 6. This assures that the erecting movement of the bottom flaps isfully completed and overcomes the natural resiliency of the paper stock,so that the carton when released, will then spring back to a fullyopened position.

After the carton has been fully distended, as described above, thecarton moving mechanism comes into action to move the same in alongitudinal direction in the carton chute as illustrated in Fig. 8. Thecarton moving mechanism comprises a sliding plate 191 (Fig. 6) moving onrods 101 parallel to and beneath carton chute 11. An L -shaped member103 is fastened to plate and projects upwardly through a slot 104 inlower wall 105 of carton chute 11 to engage the cartons therein as shownin Fig. 6. Plate 100 is connected to a downwardly projecting bar 107(Figs. 2, 3, and 6) which contains a slot 198 (Fig. 2). A lever member110 is pivoted to an outwardly projecting lug 111 fastened to base 10,and carries pin 112 engaging the slot 108 in downwardly projectingmember 107. Lever member 110 also contains a slot 115 near its lowerpivoted end which engages an outwardly extending pin 116 mounted on cam90 which is driven by motor 24, as described above. As cam 90 rotates inthe direction shown by the arrow in Fig. 2, pin 116 causes lever member110 to pivot in a clockwise direction about lug 111 thereby movingdownwardly projecting member 107 towards the right as viewed in Fig. 2,thereby causing plate 100 to slide on rods 101. Member 103 engages thebottom of carton 40, as shown in Fig. 6, thereby forcing it to slidealong carton chute 11 in the same direction.

A retainer is provided for holding the cartons in chute 11 during theirtravel therealong. This retainer comprises a smooth rod 120 (Figs. 1 and9) mounted on the end of a bar 121, which is hingedly fastened to hopper12. Rod 120 is resiliently held in place by a small leaf spring 123,fastened to the hopper adjacent to bar 121, as shown in Fig. 9.

When cartons of the type described are erected, the outwardly extendingclosure flaps come into a position forming planes substantially parallelto and forming extensions of said walls to which they are respectivelyattached, as shown in Fig. 8. As the cartons are forced outwardlytowards the end of the carton chute, they engage four inwardlyprojecting weighted hook members 125, 126, 127, and 128 (Figs. 4 and 8)which are pivotally fastened to brackets 130, 131, 132, and 133 on theside of carton chute 11. Hooks and 127 are so balanced upon theirpivots, and hooks 126 and 128 are so weighted by weights and 136 (Fig.4) fastened thereto, that the hooked ends thereof tend to move inwardlyto engage the leading edges of the carton as they move along chute 11.As the cartons move towards the right as shown in Fig. 8, and are heldfirmly in carton chute 11 by carton retaining rod 120, the hook membersengage the leading edges of said carton flaps and bend them outwardly asshown in Fig. 9. As the carton is forced further down the chute, hookmembers 125, 126, 127, and 128 prevent the leading edges of said flapsfrom moving in the same direction and thereby fold them back to theirrespective walls. This action opens all the carton flaps and thus themachine delivers erected cartons with the tops fully open for quick andeasy filling.

The carton chute 11 is extended outwardly far enough to accommodate twoor three erected cartons as shown in Fig. 1. When the machine isstarted, the parts described above operate in synchronization to movecollapsed cartons from the hopper and erect the same, and force sameoutwardly down carton chute 11. Each carton as it is erected and moveddown the chute, as described above, forces the erected carton ahead ofit to move further down the chute until the leading carton reaches aposition at the end thereof. At this point the leading carton engages asmall feeler wire 137 which actuates an electric microswitch 138 (Figs.1 and 2), which operates electrical clutch 26 disengaging motor 24 fromthe operating parts driven thereby, thereby stopping the action of themachine. As the leading carton is removed from the end of the chute,microswitch 138 closes, causing the clutch to engage, thereby causingthe machine to come into action to erect and deliver another carton.Thus, the machine will automatically maintain a constant supply oferected cartons at the outer end of the carton chute, as long as thesame are removed for use. However, as soon as the operator fails toremove cartons for use, the machine will automatically stop itself,thereby stopping the erection of cartons, until these are againwithdrawn from, the end of the chute.

Thus, this invention provides a fully automatic machine for erecting anddelivering cartons, whose speed is regulated by the demand for finishedcartons.

It will be seen from the above description that this inventionaccomplishes its stated objects. It automatically feeds and erectscartons of the type described, in a simple and positive manner, andmaintains a steady supply of erected cartons ready for use. While thisinvention has been herein disclosed by reference of the details by apreferred embodiment, it is to be understood that such disclosure isintended in an illustrative, rather than a limiting sense, as it iscontemplated that various modifications in the construction andarrangeemnt of the parts will readily occur to those skilled in the art,within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A machine for erecting collapsed cartons of the type adapted to beerected by application of pressure against the junctions betweenadjacent walls of opposite pairs of side walls, said machine comprisinga hopper for holding a stack of collapsed cartons, a reciprocatingmember positioned under said hopper for engaging the lowermost cartonalong one of said junctions for removing said carton from said stack andmoving same in a path, a pair of thin edged members positioned adjacentsaid hopper and held in the path of said carton to enter between saidopposite pairs of side walls as said folded carton moves along saidpath, means for causing relative movement of said thin edged members atsubstantially right angles to the plane of said folded carton, topartially distend and initiate the erection of same, and a second meanspositioned in the path of said carton, said carton being compressedbetween said reciprocating member and said second means for completingthe erection of same.

2. A machine for erecting collapsed cartons of the type which areadapted to be erected by application of pressure against the junctionsbetween adjacent walls of opposite pairs of side walls, said machinecomprising a hopper for holding a stack of collapsed cartons, areciprocating member positioned under said hopper for engaging thelowermost carton along-one of said junctions for removing said cartonfrom said stack and moving same in a path, a pair of thin edged memberspivotally mounted adjacent said hopper and resiliently held in the pathof said carton to enter between said opposite pairs of side walls assaid folded carton moves along said path, means for causing relativemovement of said thin edged members at substantially right angles to theplane of said folded carton, to partially distend and initiate 6 theerection of same, and a second means positioned in the path of saidcarton, said carton being compressed be- 'tween said reciprocatingmember and said second means for completing the erection of same.

3. A machine for erecting collapsed cartons of the type which areadapted to be erected by application of pressure against the junctionsbetween adjacent walls of opposite pairs of side walls, said machinecomprising a hopper for holding a stack of collapsed cartons, areciprocating member positioned under said hopper for engaging thelowermost carton along one of said junctions for removing said cartonfrom said stack and moving same in a path, a pair of thin edged memberspivotally mounted adjacent said hopper and resiliently held in aposition in the path of an end of said carton, whereby said members areengaged by and moved outwardly by the leading edge of said carton movingin said path and resiliently move back and enter between said oppositepairs of side walls when disengaged by said leading edge, means forcausing relative movement of said thin edged members at substantiallyright angles to the plane of said folded carton, to partially distendand initiate the erection of same, and a second means positioned in thepath of said carton, said carton being compressed between saidreciprocating member and said second means for completing the erectionof same.

4. A machine for erecting collapsed cartons of the type which areadapted to be erected by application of pressure against the junctionsbetween adjacent walls of opposite pairs of side walls, said machinecomprising a hopper for holding a stack of collapsed cartons, areciprocating member positioned under said hopper for engaging thelowermost carton along one of said junctions for removing said cartonfrom said stack and moving same in a path, a pair of thin edged memberspositioned adjacent said hopper and held in the path of said carton toenter between said opposite pairs of side walls as said folded cartonmoves along said path, means for holding one of said thin edged membersin the plane of the carton, means for moving the other thin edged memberat substantially right angles to the plane of said folded carton, topartially distend and initiate the erection of same, and a second meanspositioned in the path of said carton, said carton being compressedbetween said reciprocating member and said second means for completingthe erection of same.

5. A machine for erecting collapsed cartons of the type which areadapted to be erected by application of pressure against the junctionsbetween adjacent walls of opposite pairs of side walls, said machinecomprising a hopper for holding a stack of collapsed cartons, areciprocating member positioned under said hopper for engaging thelowermost carton along one of said junctions for removing said cartonfrom said stack and moving same in a path, means for guiding said cartonin said path, a pair of thin edged members positioned adjacent saidhopper and held in the path of said carton to enter between saidopposite pairs of side walls as said folded carton moves along saidpath, means for causing relative movement of said thin edged members atsubstantially right angles to the plane of said folded carton, topartially distend and initiate the erection of same, a second meanspositioned in the path of said carton, said carton being compressedbetween said reciprocating member and said second means for completingthe erection of same, and means for removing said erected carton fromthe machine.

6. A machine for erecting collapsed cartons of the type which areadapted to be erected by application of pressure against the junctionsbetween adjacent walls of opposite pairs of side walls, said machinecomprising a hopper for holding a stack of collapsed cartons, areciprocating member positioned under said hopper for engaging thelowermost carton along one of said junctions for removing said cartonfrom said stack and moving .7 same in -apath,.a pair of thin edgedmembers positioned adjacent said hopper .and held in the path of saidcarton to enter between said opposite pairs .of side walls as saidfolded carton moves :along said path, means for causing relativemovement of said thin edged members at substantially right angles to theplane of said folded carton, to partially distend and initiate .theerection of same, a chute means positioned in the path of said carton,said carton being compressed between said reciprocating member and saidchute means for completing the erection of same and means comprising asecond reciprocating member to engage said erected cartonto move thesame along said chute means.

7. A machine .for .erecting collapsed cartons of the type which areadapted to be erected by application of pressure against the junctionsbetween adjacent walls of opposite pairs of side walls, said machinecomprising a hopper for holding a stack of collapsed cartons, areciprocating member positioned under said hopper for engaging thelowermost carton along one of said junctions for removing said cartonfrom said stack and moving same in a path, a pair of thin edged memberspositioned adjacent said hopper and held in the path of said carton to:enter between said opposite pairs of side walls as said folded carton:moves along said path, means for causing relative movement of said thinedged members at substantially right angles to the plane of said foldedcarton, to partially distend and initiate the erection of same, a chutemeans positioned in the path of said carton, said carton beingcompressed between said reciprocating member and said chute means forcompleting the erection of same, means comprising a second reciprocatingmember to engage said erected carton to move the same along said chutemeans, and means comprising a plurality of members pivotally supportedadjacent to said chute means and extending inwardly to engage the edgesof the flaps of said carton and fold same back to open one end of saidcarton.

'8. A machine :as specified in claim 7 wherein said inwardly extendingmembers comprise hooks weighted to pivot inwardly.

9.. A machine for erecting collapsed cartons of the type which .are:adapted to be erected by application of pressure against 2the junctionsbetween adjacent walls vof opposite pairs of 'side walls, said machinecomprising a hopper for holding a stack of collapsed cartons, areciprocating member positioned under said hopper for engaging thelowermost .carton along one of said junctions for removing said cartonfrom said stack and moving same in a path, a pair .of thin edged memberspositioned adjacent said hopper and held in the path of said carton toenter between said opposite .pairs of side walls as said folded cartonmoves along said path, means for causing relative movement of said thinedged members at substantially right angles .to the plane of said foldedcarton, to partially distend and initiate the erection of same, a chutemeans positioned in the path of .said carton, said carton beingcompressed between said reciprocating member and said chute means forcompleting the erection of same, means comprising a second reciprocatingmember to engage said erected carton to move the same along said :chute.means, and control means mounted at the outer end of said chute means,said control means being actuated :by erected cartons therein, to stopsaid machine when :said chute means is filled with erected cartons, andto start said machine when said chute means is empty.

10. .A machine as specified in claim 9 wherein said control meanscomprises an electrical switch.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,337,404 Jones Apr. 20, 1920 1,351,461 Beckmann Aug. 31, 1920 1,378,579Bernotow May 17, 1921

